Several people held signs and chanted outside Great Southern Bank Arena on the Missouri State University campus in Springfield Monday.
That's where Gov. Mike Kehoe was set to give his State of the State address to the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.
Missouri Jobs with Justice hosted the event to protest the state legislature's move to gut Proposition A, which was approved by voters last November. The legislature passed a bill in May that repealed the mandatory paid sick leave provision and removed annual adjustments to the state's minimum wage.
Missouri Jobs with Justice called the move "a shameful betrayal to Missouri workers" and said that the fight isn't over.
Kehoe said employers should be the ones to decide what benefits to offer their employees.
"And if an employee doesn't feel like they're getting the right benefit," he said, "there's a business down the street that might have a better package for them, and that's how the process should work."
Kehoe said, if the issue goes back before voters, businesses will need to educate them. He said they'll have to make sure that Missourians understand that, if annual minimum wage adjustments continue, those extra costs will be passed on to consumers.
Special redistricting session
In a press conference after his speech, Kehoe also addressed a possible special redistricting session for Missouri.
Kehoe said they're taking a look at any option to ensure the state's conservative values are represented in Washington D.C.
"I think it's safe to say that, in Missouri, along with other states, we're always trying to make sure that we have as much Republican representation because we believe that's who we are," he said.
President Trump has urged Missouri Republicans to look at changing district boundaries to favor Republicans.
Democratic Congressman Emanuel Cleaver represents the Kansas City-based 5th District, which Trump wants turned into a left-leaning seat.
Cleaver told St. Louis Public Radio that the state's Republicans would be playing with fire by breaking up Kansas City into three districts. He asked, "Why would you deny the largest city, the people in the largest city in the state, the opportunity to be represented?"
Funds for new Springfield convention center
Kehoe also answered questions about state funding for a new convention and event center in Springfield. The governor said he's been in "constant contact" with Springfield Mayor Jeff Schrag about releasing $30 million in state funds for the project that have been withheld in the budget.
He said there are a few things that need to be put in place before he'll consider that.
"So it's multiple things that will need to happen that we're going to work with them as they achieve each of those things," Kehoe said. "The community, in my opinion, even outside of the passion behind the elected officials, seem to be very supportive of this so we're going to try to work with them the best we can."
Monday night, Springfield City Council could approve putting a hotel/motel tax increase on the ballot in November that would help pay for a new convention center for downtown Springfield.
Kehoe addressed four main areas in his speech in Springfield: Public safety, economic development, education and agriculture.
He said his administration "remain relentless in our pursuit to make Missouri a state where it's easier to be a cop than a criminal."
He pointed to the Safer Missouri initiative, launched on Inauguration Day with the signing of six executive orders. Those included directing Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers to undergo immigration enforcement training and charging MSHP with assisting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in enforcing immigration laws; directing the Missouri Department of Public Safety and the MSHP to collect the immigration status of those charged with crimes in the state and establishing the Blue Shield Program and Operation Relentless Pursuit.
He touted what he called his administration's "bold actions to cut taxes, reduce regulatory burdens and attract new businesses to our state."
With the signing of House Bill 594, he said he enacted "the largest tax cut in Missouri history." It eliminates the state income tax on capital gains.
And he praised the legislature for passing Senate Bill 4, which repeals a utility consumer protection law passed by voters nearly half a century ago, according to reporting by the Missouri Independent.
It also makes sweeping changes to the state's utility law. "When companies look to expand or invest in Missouri, the conversation always, always includes energy," Kehoe said.
Kehoe said another important piece of economic development is a strong early childhood system. The Missouri General Assembly, he said, supported his budget recommendation "for childcare funding for low income families as well as grants to support partnerships between employers and childcare providers." And he said the state has launched a full regulatory review through the Office of Childhood "to modernize outdated and duplicative childcare rules."
Kehoe also talked about legislation passed during the last session related to education. One bans cellphones in classrooms.
"Distraction free classrooms are the way forward to ensure our children are learning, growing and succeeding," he said.
He said the state has formed the School Modernization Task Force, which is working to improve the funding mechanisms for the K-12 funding formula. Tom Prater of Springfield is on that task force.
"As businesspeople, you understand that at 20-year-old model for our schools simply doesn't make sense of today," Kehoe said.
He touted the launching of the Governor's Workforce of the Future Challenge, a public/private initiative to align schools, college and employers to produce job ready graduates to business ready speed.
In the area of agriculture, Kehoe pointed to permanent funding for Missouri FFA in the budget as well as investing a near-record amount in the Missouri State Fairgrounds.
"This facility truly is the state's largest showcase on agriculture," he said, "and is a prime example of how we can continue to invest in our youth beyond the classroom."
He praised retired Missouri State University Department Head Anson Elliott and called him "the godfather of agriculture and arts." He said when he first met Missouri State University President Dr. Biff Williams, "I looked him right in the eye and said, 'we need that ag program going better than ever.'"
He told Williams, Elliott and the MSU Board of Governors that he appreciates them for "making sure that we concentrate on who we are, an agrarian state and agrarian society."
He said, while there were restrictions and vetoes in this year's budget, some of which impacted the southwest Missouri region, "this was all done to ensure that this budget reflects our long term vision and commitment to limited government and fiscal discipline."
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